


pity the weak (and you'll never be strong)

by Pheonxfeathr97



Category: The Gifted (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempted Sexual Assault, Childhood Memories, Dysfunctional Family, Fenris Force, Gen, Lauren-centric, Retelling that Goes Off the Deep End, Sibling Being Siblings, Sibling Bonding, Teenagers, Underage Drinking, season one, sorry about this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:20:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27380335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pheonxfeathr97/pseuds/Pheonxfeathr97
Summary: Lauren had to use two hands to count the amount of times that she had felt the ground pulled out from under her...Four of them happened in the same 12 hours, but that’s just how it is now.⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝Thinking back, Lauren knew that everything could've worked out like she planned. She had had a great life and no one suspected anything unusual about her. It was practically picturesque. Then it all came crashing down.More literally, the gym came crashing down.⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝
Comments: 5
Kudos: 19





	1. Prologue (Justify Your Soul)

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go, this is going to be... _interesting_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The warnings that apply to this segment only: Attempted Sexual Assault, Underage Drinking.
> 
> Every other tag applies as well, but I thought I would warn specifically about those here.
> 
> Edited: January 10th, 2021

This party was kind of dead.

It’s not like she was one to judge anyone on their ability to create a “party atmosphere,” especially considering she had never actually thrown a party herself, but Lauren was pretty confident this time. 

This party was not fun.

Sure, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves well enough, but there was a certain expectation surrounding every interaction. The kind that would get exaggerated eyebrow raises from some friends and questioning glances from others. The two girls that had invited her had said that this was supposed to be the “party of the year.” Of course, Lauren’s friends couldn’t pass that up. They even circumvented her original plans to study tonight by pleading with their best puppy-dog eyes. At first, Lauren was thankful that they wanted to help her relax because even she could admit that she was not the type to have a fun Friday night with friends. Despite her general demeanor and what her social circle would imply, she was not the kind of girl to go out every weekend. It was easier to just stay in and avoid the larger crowds that accompanied the outings she was invited to. 

As she leaned against the nearest wall while lightly slipping the cup in her hand, Lauren didn’t do much that negated the stereotype beside that. She was a definite A-type, all by design. Sure, before, she had stuff figured out to an extent, but she wasn’t overly diligent. Her grades in school reflected her attitude, meaning that she was getting high B’s with minimal effort and even the occasional A if she wanted. Her social life was limited to a couple of people from school and some people she knew from church. Weekends were spent with family.

But then...

Now, Lauren was the type of person that planned her day out before she got out of bed. She studied constantly, nurtured a picturesque social life, cultivated a kind reputation, and kept up with college prep. It was perfect, mostly. She was the ideal candidate for any college, the model daughter, and was always ready to lend an ear to a friend. 

But again, it was only mostly perfect. Nothing was ever that simple. Her family was slightly chaotic, and not in a good way. Her mother was always hovering over both Lauren and her brother as if trying to make them forget the fact that it was just the three of them in the house more often than not. She doesn’t want to think badly about her father, because he’s not like that, honestly. He used to be there all the time, barbequing or telling lame stories about his super interesting job, but then that same job started needing him to come in on more days that had early mornings bleeding into late nights. At first, Lauren had tried to stay up to greet him, but after the fourth time she fell asleep on the kitchen counter, her mother had put her foot down. “Set an example for Andy,” she had said, guiding Lauren to her room on what would’ve been the fifth night. 

That had been a little over a year ago. Lauren wasn’t one to be ungrateful, especially when there was still the occasional outing every few months that was just the family, but she wished he could stay with them longer. It wouldn’t be long until Lauren herself could get a job, and there was never a good time to just talk.

(Lauren and Andy had been crouched around the corner listening to their teary-eyed mother whisper-shout at their father, only really catching bits and pieces like “-missing the moments” and “-growing up fast.” His response had been equally emotional, but his pieces sounded more like “it's for them-,” “I’m trying to-.” and “-they’re asleep!” As more time went by, the whispers got progressively louder, so Lauren had pulled Andy away and into her room for the rest of the night. They didn’t need to hear that.

They already knew.)

She glanced over the rim of her cup, scanning for friends that had long since abandoned her to entertain some lacrosse players. It was not surprising as the atmosphere wasn’t a dance or anything remotely formal. No, this was a house party straight out of a movie, complete with packed rooms that were already making her sweat and music that stabbed her eardrums. At least the house was decently sized to hold all the people. She didn’t particularly feel like suffocating tonight. 

The party had already been underway when they arrived, the air already warm and slightly stale, tinted with hints of beer. The first floor was not cramped per se, but it was by no means an ad for personal space. Within an hour, she had contemplated calling a ride home twice and that count had only racked up higher since. She knew that she could just text her friends some cop-out or that she wasn’t feeling it and had called a car to get her. It’s not like it would be out of character, but she couldn’t find it in herself to dial a number. 

Despite how uncomfortable this atmosphere was, it was normal. Normal teenage girls went to parties like this. They had great times, basking in the party-glow or whatever. Lauren desperately wanted to experience it, even if being there made her want to grind her teeth. Her back was starting to stick to her shirt, making her wish that she hadn’t chosen a blouse. Sighing and glancing around, Lauren’s eyes locked on the large window across the foyer. The path to freedom was in sight, only a phone call away. It would be so easy…

She was startled out of her thoughts by a throat clearing to her right.

When she turned, there was a guy in a red jacket, leaning against the wall like he was a poster that she saw in theatres. So original.

“Enjoying yourself?” His voice was slightly nasal, higher than she would’ve expected. She was turning 16 in a few months and was a freshman, so she knew she may be approached, but he seemed like he could've been junior or senior. He angled himself closer, and part of his shoulder began to block Lauren’s view of freedom. With the proximity, Lauren could smell his breath, noting that he had the same thing as her at lunch.

And he had more to drink than she did.

On reflection, she knew that she should have spoken, but she just kind of reacted. She shrunk back a little bit, and he took this as an opportunity to block her view of the window completely. Her breathing was quickening, and he seemed to smile slightly at the development. Her breathing picked up even more.

“I can help if you’re not..” 

He was rapidly getting closer, his hands zoning in on her hips as she put her cup to his chest. She was beginning to think that he played some kind of sport. Maybe she could find his picture in the yearbook if she tried hard enough because there was an iron wall blocking every possible path. She clenched her fists, thinking about every PSA and self-defense move that she had ever heard of-

(When Lauren was in middle school, she had finally “become a woman,” and her mother sat her down and explained everything that came along with that. It was not a fun conversation, but after, they went out for food, so it was pushed to the back of her mind.)

His hand was moving up-

(Lauren didn’t remember a lot about that ride from Church, but she did remember the feeling of pushing everything away.)

His hand was tracing her skin and it was burning-

(She pushed.)

She clenched her fist, and- 

And the room exploded. 

Lauren would never forget the deafening shatter of that window. 

The boy in front of her cried out as something hit his back.

Someone screamed. There was chaos. 

People were flooding out the door, frantically calling parents, and police sirens could be heard. 

They always had great response time in this neighborhood, she thought a little hysterically.

Lauren scrambled away from the scene, automatically calling her dad. He picked up, telling her that he was very busy at the moment-

“Dad.”

She didn’t know if there was something about the way she spoke, what she said, or the tears that she was holding back, but he quickly demanded that she send her location to him right away. He said that she should stay on the phone, and she could hear him leaving. The mundane noise on his end was jarring next to the chatter here. With a few buttons pushed, trembling hands guided the phone back to her ear even though the sweat there made her hair stick. The sirens got louder, closer, prompting her dad to speak to her, asking for some kind of explanation. She guessed that was fair, even if she wasn’t entirely sure what happened-

But then it all came rushing back. She hiccuped, wiping at her face and pulling back the hair that had fallen in her eyes. Lauren’s tongue was moving slowly, making her speech sound stilted, so much so that even she could hear the difference. Feel it. She whispered it at first, unintelligible, but she cleared her throat and tried again.

“The windows exploded.”

She could hear him curse, and he was there within five minutes. Or maybe, it was more than that. To have been that quick, he would have to break laws, and she knew he would never do that.

He hugged her when he reached her, held her while she shook, and led her to the car. But he didn’t get in. He walked up to the officers there and gave them his business card. 

Lauren could feel the tears running down her cheeks as she turned away.

Later, when they were driving home, her dad told her that he would protect her from the mutants. That he understood her fear. 

She was glad that she had been facing the window at that moment because Lauren couldn’t stop the fresh tears that fell at the words.

He could never understand, she supposed. The fear was clawing at her throat, clogging it with a rock. She could not tell him that she just panicked. She could not tell him that she shattered the windows on accident. She could not tell him about the feeling of that random guy’s hands- 

Her real fears at that moment.

Everything was clouded by her messed-up DNA, again. 

Something was happening at the moment: like there was a crack that was splitting the ground beneath their feet. She knew that she had caused the crack, broke the foundations, and winced at the distance.

But the distance was best, she supposed. Lauren always knew that telling her family would be a next to impossible feat, but this was the first time she realized that she actually couldn’t. Her dad worked to put people like her away. Her mom would shake her head at mutant incidents on the news, thanking God that it wasn’t her kids that got hurt. Her brother would joke about the mutant rights ads on TV, always bringing up how they used to play X-Men. 

She was not one of the X-Men. 

Lauren couldn’t tell anyone. She couldn’t be this. It was not normal. She was not normal. 

But her survival depends on her being perfect, so perfect that no one would suspect anything of her. Her thoughts were going so very fast, yet so slow. Processing everything was difficult. The solution struck her, stinging like lightning. She had to hide the gasp of realization, turning it into a sob. Her dad looked over at her in concern, but only briefly. Lauren barely noticed, analyzing the idea that popped into her head, trying to find another way. She couldn't.

When she was older, she would have to leave. A sign passed on the street, and her eyes latched on just long enough to read it: “Florence Nightingale Sale, Get Your Insurance Plan Reviewed with an Actual Doctor!”

Maybe she could go to Florence. It was pretty far. She had time to plan it.

She glanced up at the “objects in the mirror are closer than they appear” sticker. Maybe it was a teenage dramatization, but she couldn’t help but think it was ominous. Everything seemed ominous. The weight of her father’s glances was morphing in her mind’s eye from worried to suspicious. The investigation from the police leading to fingers pointing her way, and her father getting that look on his face-

When they got home, her mother was waiting on the porch. She ushered Lauren inside. While she fussed over Lauren, and her father immediately got on the phone to “control the situation.” Andy stood off to the side, looking at her like he wanted to say something. She didn’t like him looking like that, so small. He may be young, but he was never small. It was too different from the loud brother she was used to. She walked over and nudged his shoulder lightly, playfully like they used to. He seemed to relax, his shifting feet coming to a standstill. She would even go as far as to say that he looked relieved. 

“So. Before everything went crazy, was the party any fun?” Ah, there he is. Lauren cringed slightly as the whispered question, barely hearing it over her mother’s voice telling her father to put the phone down and comfort his daughter. 

Andy had cracked a small smile, and for a second, she forgot she was hiding. She so desperately wanted to tell him, to whisper it in the same tone. Wanted it to be just another secret that they kept, like when they agreed to stay out just a bit later and “we totally lost track of time. Mom.” Regular sibling stuff. 

Lauren wanted her signature smile to come to her face, but she settled for mimicking her brother. 

She could never have that again. But she did need to respond.

She spoke in a measured tone, hoping it sounded just right.

“The party was kind of dead.”

(She remembers praying that night after her mother had left her room to check on Andy, still rambling on about the miracle. She shut her eyes tight, and she prayed until her hands cramped from the pressure. She couldn’t understand why God would do this to her, make her this way. 

Her hands had fallen to her sides that night, and the next Sunday, she declined to go to church.

God didn’t care anyway.)

There was a small uptick in his smile and that was that. The rest of the night went by in a blur of concealed panic. Lauren never realized how good of an actor she had become since the Incidents had started, but then again, she was good at pulling it together before that too. Maybe she was hard-wired for secrets. 

The thought made her want to scream.

**⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝**

Over the next year, her life began to blur. 

Lauren began the slow withdrawal from her family, making sure their interactions tampered instead of abruptly stopping altogether. She needed to put some distance without creating suspicion, or so the forums that she looked through said. It was crazy how many kids were planning to do the same thing she was. Maybe that’s why her mom seemed to think that it was a teenage thing because it happened so often. 

Of course, Andy was harder to fool. Especially because she didn’t want to fool him. 

She still couldn’t decide if she wanted to tell Andy that she was leaving. He was her brother, and she loved him with everything she had, but… even if she did have complete faith in a positive reaction, there would be no guarantee that he could keep such a huge secret. Logically, going it alone would be the best option. 

But she could feel a hitch in her chest every time she would see him change the channel away from a Mutant Rights Ad. 

Her brother was complicated. He was not outspoken or outgoing outside of the confines of their house, and Lauren honestly attributed his lack of social skills to their mother, considering she coddled him from day one. Andy believed in what their mother and father had been preaching since 7/15. 

(Lauren remembers that day well. The news was on, and their mother had stepped into the kitchen to grab Andy a Capri-sun. She remembers her brother's complaints about the show being interrupted, but a hush fell over the room once she read the headline out loud. 

“Thousands of Citizens Dead in Dallas, Texas: a Mutant Terrorist Attack”

Vaguely, she can remember her mother rushing to the living room, the movement of the couch as she collided with it. She could hear Andy’s stream of questions and her mom’s shushing noises, but Lauren could not tear her eyes away from the screen.

Later when her dad came home, he promised that he was going to help stop the mutant terrorists from killing more people. He was going to help put them all away. As his children clung to him, their father repeated the same words over and over again. That night, she let the words reassure her, telling her that everything was going to be okay.)

(What a joke that had been.)

Since then, her parents echoed the thoughts of the senator that they voted for, that Mutants were not bad, but that regular people needed to be protected from the bad ones, the ones that hurt people. Andy believed those things, she knew. She could never tell her that she had smashed a window and hurt someone (that guy whose hands burned). She told herself that her brother would not, nor should he have to, keep such a big secret from their parents. But Lauren couldn’t help but keep the idea in the back of her mind.

She reinforced her planning, advancing everything. She would tell her mom that she applied to eight colleges scattered throughout the country, and would apply to eight others in completely different states. Her college prep and applications similarly sped up, all to submit them as soon as possible. Her grades went from averaging around mid nighties to almost perfect scores. Lauren even got involved in student social activities, planning bake sales and pep rallies for extracurriculars. 

She downloaded social media and dedicated two hours everyday to upkeep a healthy presence and posted ‘relatable’ status updates. She made sure not to follow anyone she didn’t know and would disengage when there was a large Mutant Incident in the media. Despite this, she still kept up to date on all of the happenings for mutants, keeping a close eye on the enforced testing law that was being drafted up.

That would ruin everything.

Lauren tried not to worry, as it was not likely to pass. But still...

(At a bowling alley later, she realized that telling would be insane. She tried to find a fault in the man’s words in defense of his daughter and predictably came up with none. He was right. 

But he still had to leave, and isn’t that what that group of loudmouths wanted? Isn’t that why she had to go?)

Lauren’s stress was mounting every day. It seemed like too much. She thought maybe she could ease up a bit now that she had finished all of the essays, but then her mother blindsided her. The blur ended, jolting her with the starkness of movement, so prominent and real.

“Soo, anyone ‘special’ that you want to talk about?” Lauren didn’t respond, so she continued with a sly smirk. “Don’t worry, I won't tell your father.”

Lauren breathed out a trembling laugh and summoned a smile to match her mother’s. They laughed it off and changed the subject, but the thought lingered. Normal teenage girls, busy or not, have boyfriends. 

She needed one quickly. 

In the last month of the school year, she began to scope out available subjects in her class periods. She narrowed it down to Jack Neale: a classmate who was a couple of months older than her, and just the type her mom wouldn’t mind meeting. He was the perfect opportunity. So she put some feelers out, and by the end of the day, her friends had gotten to his friends about “Lauren’s massive crush on Jack.”

They were dating by the end of the week. 

They had lasted a while now, he even got her a present for her seventeenth birthday, a box of chocolates and some flowers. Andy had teased her when she walked back into the house with them, but she already knew that he had given Jack ‘the talk’ about hurting his sister.

Maybe normal wasn’t completely out of the ballpark.

(She tried her hardest not to think of that day in the park, her veins burning as she struggled to grasp the feeling of sheer something at her fingertips. The grip was keeping her upright, but did that even matter when they were floating?)

She began to think that she could stay, apply to the same college as him or one near his own, and see where things go with Jack. Hiding wasn’t hard when there were other things to focus on. He was even talking about taking her to a school dance next week. 

Everything could be okay. 

(And if Lauren lied to herself just enough, she would believe it.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's the prologue. Hope you guys enjoyed it! Please be kind in the comments, its my first fic...
> 
> Edited: January 10th, 2021


	2. Ch. 1: Silence is Broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All tags apply except for those specific to the last chapter. At first, this is going to be a retelling because canon is fun to play with, but soon enough, you'll see the differences.

Being home alone was usually fun; Lauren could do whatever she wanted around the house so long as she got back to her room before anyone else got home. But _this_ , well... This was a waste of her alone time. She _should_ be running through her drills right now.

“You have no preference?” Lauren held up two completely different tops in front of her floor-length mirror, showing Jack over FaceTime while contemplating bludgeoning herself for the fifth time during this call. He just couldn’t choose. The girls from the planning committee had said that it was fun to include your boyfriend in decisions for the date, like the outfit, but it doesn’t seem to be working for them. Jack was no help, telling her that she would look good wearing either.

He was just so nice. But nice was not helpful at this moment, and she told him as such. Just as Lauren urged him in a last-ditch effort to get some practice in, sounds of the front door opening echoed around the home. Her mother’s voice reached her as she turned her head, prompting Jack’s decision. He picked blue, and Lauren cast her eyes down in irritation. That was the shirt she was planning to wear anyway. So much time wasted on something so trivial. But as she glanced back at Jack, she couldn’t help but smile a little. He was so _kind_.

Oh, he was asking her a question.

After she assured him that she was going to meet him there, and push for a later curfew, she ended the call. She already had enough on her plate and didn’t want her mom to ask any questions if she came to her room. Lauren quickly cleaned up, actively working herself up to convince her mother. She doubted that it would be too hard, but it depended on her mood. 

She wished she could stay out later. Lauren just felt so _ordinary_ when Jack was around, and she barely had to tiptoe. He only knew her as what she projected, what she told him, so there was nothing to contradict, unlike with her family. It was freeing in a sense, and she didn’t have that feeling often. But she did need the car ride over to prep herself for all the social interaction that was going to happen tonight. 

She had stopped going to parties after the Incident at the last one, so this was the first that she had been to in a while. She didn’t even want to think about the possibility of a repeat, not that she was especially worried, but still: Lauren knew to always be aware of the possibility despite how nice a person can seem.

Lauren sighed in relief once she finished, closing the curtains in her room. She flopped down on her bed and pulled out her phone, scrolling through Instagram to update her profile. There was peace to be found in her little routine. She kept her room clean, made sure her homework was done, checked in with Jack, then posted on her socials for the small endorphin rush that came with the immediate likes. After working so hard on keeping her profile likable and all, she couldn’t help but feel the tiniest bit of validation when she got those notifications. 

Laying there for half an hour doing mindless tasks was soothing, especially when she had spent the day stressing about whether she should hold the Football team’s bake sale in the gym or the cafeteria and whether or not it would conflict with the Band’s fundraiser in the auditorium. Stray thoughts of corn muffin recipes took over her mind as she scrolled, until she was jolted out of her thoughts by a knock at her door frame. She looked up.

It was Andy. Mom had dinner ready in the kitchen.

Oh, joy; from his tone, she was already in a _great_ mood.

**⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝**

Usually, they weren’t made to eat at the table, but Lauren’s mother had come into the house with Andy in tow, intent on them having a “family dinner.” Honestly, she didn’t know why their mother insisted. Their father wasn’t even here. The food tasted the same whether it was eaten at the dining table or in her room while she worked on college applications and researched recipes. The only difference was the forced conversation. 

Speaking of, her mother was asking about… choir practice. _Shit_. Lauren completely forgot about practice, coming straight home after school. She was so distracted from the planning committee in her last period, she just... walked straight out the door. Oh god, she has to apologize to Director Montoya today at the dance; she heard him say last week that he was chaperoning.

Not that she could tell her mom that. She spouted some nonsense about practicing for the concert that wasn’t for a couple of months, but she knew her mom wouldn’t catch it. Lauren, herself had trouble keeping up with everything she was doing, and her mom could never keep track. The only reason she remembered that Lauren was even in Choir was that the notification for the deadline on the permission slip popped up on the family calendar yesterday. 

She brought up the dance playfully, and Lauren chuckled at her mom’s awkward little shimmy. There was no way she was accepting dancing advice from someone who thought that move was even remotely okay. Lauren glanced at Andy, who wasn’t getting into the joke. He seemed completely detached from the atmosphere. She was about to pull him in, hoping to rib on his moves on the dance floor at their cousin Scott’s last birthday party, but their mom interrupted.

She had asked about his day, even though she was there at the end of it. Lauren furrowed her eyebrows slightly, wondering if it was rhetorical, but Andy spoke her thoughts aloud. She had to laugh, turning her head away from them both as she took another bite. This was going okay, she supposed. There was a distinct lack of arguments, and now that Andy was speaking, there was a settled air around the table, but she was very adept at discerning her family’s moods. There was a single thrum of tension in the air, so Lauren didn’t fully unwind just yet. It was a good move too, but Lauren was always disappointed to be right about these things. Their mother’s next question opened up the floodgates.

It should have been an easy one to deflect, especially due to Andy’s aptitude in doing just that, but maybe it was just one of the days that frowned upon Lauren. He started talking about social studies class, a debate about ‘some law.’ It was the indifference that got her, nagged at her like something was pulling the corner of her mouth down despite her feigned indifference. Like something had clipped her vocal cords only to forcefully weld them back together. 

As Andy kept going into more detail, Lauren swallowed her last bite of food. She wasn’t hungry anymore.

If he just stopped at the mention, just stopped there, Lauren wouldn’t have to say anything, but there was a need that was just jumping out of her. She wanted to rise from her seat and scream until her voice was hoarse. His opinion was unneeded, especially if his words were about a kid that she knew (and followed on social media, did she need to unfollow him to distance herself from mutant activism?), but she was fine not speaking. There was no need to-

_Mutie. God, why did he have to be such an ass?_

Lauren finally spoke her mind, and Andy didn’t even go on the defensive. He just kept eating, indifferent to the outrage in Lauren’s voice. She had even dropped her fork, for emphasis or to gear up further because she was talking and he would listen-

But then her mom interrupted, speaking of keeping the peace as they were “arguing over social studies class now.” About how it wasn’t even about them. And that’s because it didn’t matter to their mother or their family at all. Lauren’s mouth shut so quickly she thought that she could hear her teeth clank. Her mother continued her little speech, but the dinner table was no longer a place for camaraderie, only tension. It would not pass, which her mother finally acknowledged. Lauren picked up her fork.

The clanking of forks against the plates was so very loud today. Go figure.

Lauren once again marked a tally in the ‘Not Telling’ column for Andy. If there was anything that tonight proved, it was that even if she learned how to completely control the full extent of them, Andy could never know. There was no way. He could never understand the difficulties that came with having such a huge weight placed on his shoulders.

Lauren couldn’t help but scoff internally at Andy’s word choice. “Person of genetic difference,” please. They shared the same DNA.

**⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝**

Turns out that Lauren was a little psychic ( _wow, was that one of her abilities, oh god_ ).

**⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝**

Lauren walked into the garage, willing every ounce of self-control into keeping her voice light. She wasn’t sure that it worked, but she didn’t hear a negative response from her mom. She figured that it was a small victory. She was just happy that she was able to push for an 11:30 curfew after she messed up at the dinner table. She was still a little peeved about the whole thing, but she wasn't about to let it ruin her night. 

Pulling out her phone, Lauren closed the adjourning door, keys in hand. While walking over to the car, she texted Jack to let him know that she was on her way, with heart emojis of course. She couldn’t resist, especially when Jack sent back a text with the same emojis. She could feel a smile on her face, the first of many tonight, she hoped. Jack always did know how to make her feel sane. She was still looking at her phone as she got in the car. 

“Yo.” 

_Oh, what the hell._

Her little brother was really trying to be annoying today, considering his completely horrible timing. Seriously, simple situations just become that much more complicated when he was introduced. He couldn’t come to the dance.

If Andy was there, then Lauren would have to be on guard. There would be no relaxation or letting loose, not that there was going to be that much anyway but still, she would take what she could get. Plus, Andy wasn’t supposed to be here, especially after telling their mom that he was going to bed. Lauren was not about to lose her night out with Jack, so he could jailbreak. There was no way.

But when Lauren brought up these very valid points, Andy also brought up some very valid points. She had to pause because Andy had sound reasonings that did not make Lauren feel guilty. At all.

Lauren’s self-imposed isolation was a choice she made that brought pangs to her chest, but while she was planning her great escape, she never really thought about how the shift must have affected Andy. Their mother’s pampering used to be split between them, but ever since Lauren had pulled herself away, it had become a smothering that was wholly intent on ‘protecting’ her brother. Even though she knew there were more reasons behind her mom babying Andy, she couldn’t avoid some of the blame weighing heavy on her shoulders. 

She tried one last appeal because despite being (slightly) guilt-ridden, she wasn’t blind to the realities of Andys’ school life. The last of Lauren’s defenses fell at his response. She didn’t want him to be used to his bullies or even have a ‘fan club’ to begin with. With a heavily exaggerated groan that let Andy know just how much of this decision was made under duress, she told him to buckle up. She didn’t need any traffic tickets to complicate tonight further. 

She started the engine as Andy bobbed his head to imaginary music. Lauren smiled a little to herself, catching the sight out of the corner of her eyes. Oh, how she had missed her weird little brother, even if she was still kind of pissed at him. 

The car ride was silent for the most part, but when they were five minutes from the school, Andy turned down the music, causing Lauren to glance his way. He was fidgety but it looked like he was trying very hard not to be. Lauren kept her eyes on the road, making sure to rely solely on peripheral vision. She didn’t want to put any more pressure on him when he was already struggling to speak. 

He explained that he wasn't going to crash her night. Andy promised that he would stay out of her way once they were inside and that he would watch her back in case anyone tried to mess with her. It was a long, drawn-out couple of sentences that he finished just as they parked. Lauren caught his arm before he could open the door. She opened her mouth to make the same promises, intent on not letting anyone mess with him as it was more likely, but there was a loud noise somewhere else in the parking lot.

She let go of Andy’s arm on reflex, and he got out quickly, shutting the door before Lauren even got her seat belt off. It seemed like he wanted to avoid any further conversation, and Lauren couldn’t begrudge him. Even having wanted to make a promise herself, she couldn’t make herself say the words to segway back into that territory. She just had to let it pass.

It was a quick walk to the gym, as they had parked closer to the side entrance instead of the front like everyone else. Lauren silently thanked her inability to not be involved as the parking lot had reserved spaces for clubs and such. At least she got something for all the stress. 

Before she knew it, Andy was holding the door open for her. Walking inside, Lauren couldn’t help but marvel at how well the decorations had come together. Perhaps the planning committee should take more suggestions from Mrs. Morris if this was the result. She faintly heard Andy’s proclamations behind her, and she honestly couldn’t tell if he was impressed or nauseated by everything going on. When she turned to look at him, he had one of his rueful smiles, so she supposed it was a little bit of both.

“Lauren!” 

She made eye contact with Jack, seeing his bright smile. Lauren kept walking towards him until they were hugging closely, exchanging kisses in greeting. She didn’t think it was especially provocative, but she could feel Andy’s hand on her shoulder, lightly pulling them apart. Lauren almost died at his comments about ‘leaving room for Jesus,’ but she thought that Jack handled it pretty well. They had briefly met before, but this was the first unchaperoned meeting of the boys.

Lauren turned her head to her boyfriend and willed him not to mess it up. 

She wouldn’t say it went badly, considering the awkwardness of her brother tonight, but she could tell that Andy wasn’t all that comfortable here. She could feel her eyebrows climbing as she silently tried to ask Andy if he was good, but he wouldn’t meet her eyes. She pushed those thoughts aside in favor of stealing a longer kiss from Jack, reveling in the affection that poured from him. 

Andy’s shouts ruined that endorphin rush, and Lauren pulled away, staring after Andy’s retreating form, trying to see where he was heading. She looked back at Jack and flashed a reassuring smile, happy to be pulled back into his arms for a night of dancing.

The dance was a hit. Jack explained that everyone was having a really fun time, enjoying the scenery and playlist. He was being very attentive tonight, a fact that made something in Lauren swoon without her permission. Even when they were pressed close while slow dancing, there had been no pressure in his gaze. How did she get so lucky, just by trying to be normal? It was a high school dance, yet he was making her feel like a princess at a ball.

Lauren tried to match it, but she had a pit in her stomach. It didn’t stop her from enjoying herself completely, but she couldn't help but glance at Andy over at the bleachers every ten minutes or so. If he stayed there for another half-hour, Lauren was going to cut the night short. No way she was going to let him sit there all night, especially when they could be out getting burgers or something. She did have an 11:30 curfew after all, and even if their mom did get a little mad, at least Andy would have had some fun tonight. 

She was prepping this plan discreetly, relieved that she had not told Jack about her later curfew. There would be less resistance that way, fewer explanations. As sweet as this all was, she had already decided that she was leaving early. Jack put up some meek protests, but Lauren put her foot down, reminding him that she had Andy with her. She glanced at his spot on the bleachers, Jack following her line of sight to… nothing. Jack turned back to her with a questioning look on her face, but she wasn’t looking at him. 

It was like her head was on a swivel, looking around for her brother, and Jack moved his head to catch her eye. There was a teasing smile that still held a hint of the earlier question, and Lauren deflated slightly. She hadn’t even realized that she had puffed up. Maybe she was being silly, considering that Andy could just be having fun. It was a dance, and that was the whole point of his being here. She began to sway again, losing the edge in her stance in favor of staring back into Jack’s face. She could stay like this forever.

But then she heard something: something loud. 

Someone had just been shoved into the locker room, and she couldn't see Andy. She pulled her hands down to grip Jack’s arms instead of his shoulders, and she asked him to use his height to look for her brother. He looked around half-heartedly, but Lauren could hear an underlying current of concern in his voice when he couldn't locate him. Lauren didn’t like this at all, and maybe Jack could tell that she was getting worked up. He suggested that they call a teacher, but before Lauren could answer the building moved. 

The _school_. It began creaking and moaning, almost like the pipes in the walls and ceiling rafters were crying out. The gym had fallen silent, as everyone held their breaths. That silence that descended was only broken by the occasional whimper and gasps of breath. Teachers and students alike were crouched, waiting, listening for something. What exactly they were all waiting for, Lauren couldn't guess. She could barely breathe properly.

The colored lights that they stringed up for the dance were shifting, moving, and Lauren realized that the floor had moved. The gym was-the whole building was shaking. Lauren looked around, desperate for a glimpse of her brother, but _she couldn’t find him_. She wanted to be thankful that Andy wasn’t here, but any rising hope or small relief was stamped out. If he wasn’t here, then he was in the locker room, and that was not safe. Lauren knew that they were not the most structurally sound, having been at the student council meeting where the issue was brought up and dismissed as they did not have earthquakes in Atlanta. 

_So what the hell is this?_

Just as the thought came, the lights blew out, casting sparks everywhere. Lauren screamed, turning towards one of the lights closest to her as Jack ducked. It was chaos, and there was barely any visibility because of the sparks. She preferred the abundance of light to what happened next though.

Tinted red, darkness fell over the gym as the ceiling began concaving. The glass windows too high to reach were shattering and screams and shouts were echoing all over. There was a mad rush towards the doors, and she could feel Jack trying to push her along with the crowd. He cared so much, it hurt, but she couldn’t leave. She pulled back, and it became a tug-of-war that she could not lose. She knew that it was instinct for him to try to get Lauren and himself out as quickly as possible, but she couldn’t leave her brother. She broke free, turning to run towards the locker room, hoping against hope that Andy was safe. All she could imagine was him sitting and screaming, and the image was so _vivid_ that it only caused her to push her legs harder. She had to find him. She had to do whatever it took. But that didn't mean that she was going to leave anyone else to get hurt either. The building was still coming down and the sound was getting distorted in her ears, and yet she felt more stable than ever.

For the first time, Lauren let loose.

As a tall light fixture came barreling towards a couple of kids crouching, waiting for the inevitable blow, Lauren threw up a shield, pausing for only a second to aim before she was off again. Rushing to overcome the forces that tried to upend her, tossing everyone into a sway so different from the usual dances.

This was real.

The locker room was in her sights, and she came to a stop as she saw the door open, expecting to see her brother's familiar flop of brown hair. Instead, she was two of his bullies. They paused to stare at her for just a second, but that was all it took. She gasped as a piece of the ceiling came crashing towards her, barely throwing up a shield in time to avoid the blow.

They gaped at her for three seconds, and Lauren counted every single one. 

In the first second, they had blank faces. Their brains were still catching up, even as Lauren’s screeched to a halt.

Before the second one passed, shock etched into the features. Comprehension had dawned on them that Lauren, normal and unassuming Lauren, was a mutant.

And by the time that the third was done, the one with the blood on his forehead ran towards the doors, followed only milliseconds later by his taller friend, away from Lauren and away from danger. They probably thought that she was dangerous too.

Was she?

Lauren didn’t have time to lament the complete decimation of her carefully constructed charade. She had to find Andy. The thought prompted movement again. She rushed into the locker room.

She didn’t know what she expected upon hearing the shouts of her brother. 

There seemed to be a maelstrom of chaos, as the locker doors were caving in on themselves and creating a screeching symphony that hurt her ears. The lights were cascading sparks down onto the scuffed floor and the smell of the locker room was still that of old sweat, but there was something else. There was a pressure in her chest that told her something was changing here and now, and she _knew_.

She was screaming, trying anything to get his attention. 

She was running too slow, and she had stopped to put everything into her screams, but it wasn’t working. Nothing was working, and he wouldn’t stop screaming, curled into a ball just like she had imagined, and she hated it. He was in so much pain, and she could feel it, and he was making sure everyone else could feel it.

This building was going to come down, and she was not going to let her brother be there when it did. After a running start, she dropped to her knees and slid down next to him, desperately trying to pull his focus onto anything tangible. She took hold of the back of his head, a little too harshly before she got her bearings, but he didn’t stop until she completely cupped his cheeks and turned his head. 

There was panic in his face, his entire body was shaking, and he was soaked. Lauren didn’t even want to think about why he was soaked. Before she could truly register her own actions, she was pulling him up. She didn’t know how this started, could only guess, but one thing was certain. This was not over. 

It never would be.

As she practically dragged him along to the exit, going out through the demolished walkway, she resolutely stared ahead, not looking at the boy lying prone against the lockers. She couldn’t think about that now; she needed to get Andy home. 

She knew Andy was looking though, and that’s the only reason that Lauren wasn’t running. He needed to process. However, as soon as they left the locker room to be met by a nearly empty gym, Lauren wasn’t rushing to put up shields. They needed to get to the car. When they got there in one piece and generally unnoticed, Lauren once again thanked any deity above that she had this space. 

They kept quiet throughout the car ride home, only broken by Andy’s sobs, and Lauren’s occasional gasps whenever a cop car would pass by. As they got farther and farther away, the sirens subsided, but Lauren knew that if she opened up her phone the headlines would be glaring, spewing assumption after assumption about what happened that night. She glanced over at Andy, knowing that the two guys she had seen witnessed them both use their powers. There was no denying that they would be implicated.

 _If those two survived_. The thought brought relief, and it sickened her.

Maybe she was a monster. She looked at the fading lights in the rearview, watching them shrink as she made it to their neighborhood. The car was shaking a little at the force of Andy’s now violent sobs, but Lauren couldn’t comfort him while driving and she couldn’t stop. She supposed that she would need to be pretty monstrous from here on out, finding that while the idea didn’t sit right, she couldn’t contradict it.

The world was pretty scary. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting this chapter sooner than expected but I'll figure out a schedule soon-ish.
> 
> **⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝**
> 
> Updated: 1/11/2021 - Also, I think I'll be posting a new chapter every other Tuesday starting January 12th, 2021. 


	3. Ch. 2: Laying Low

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First day on the new schedule! Yay! Sorry for this mess..

“We have breaking news on the attack at Belleview High. We believe two young mutants to be responsible for this act of terrorism. We’ve also heard that Federal authorities will be getting involved...”

Their mom shut off the news when they stumbled into the kitchen, worried for their safety, and Lauren supposed that was fair. They probably didn’t look too good. She fussed over the still-crying Andy, while Lauren stood off to the side trying to catch her breath. Although they were home, she knew they were not safe. Any minute now, there would be police and people who knew, and they needed to be gone before that happened. 

She carefully pried Andy from her mother, not stopping even as her mother’s questioning gaze snapped towards her. Lauren almost didn’t want to tell her, but as she looked over at Andy, she realized that the time for secrets had long since passed. Lauren told her mom that she should just listen, and placed herself between the two. Andy sat on the counter while Lauren stood in front of it.

She didn’t know what the reaction would be, but she would be sure to protect Andy from the brunt of it.

Andy started venting about it all, the words spilling almost as fast as his tears, and Lauren couldn’t help but scoot further in front of him. He wasn’t looking, so he didn’t comment like he usually would. Or maybe he did see and didn’t care. It was hard to say, as they had never been in a situation quite like this. He sounded so vulnerable, and Lauren felt similarly skinned. She was running over tonight in her head, trying to figure out why she hadn’t just stepped out of the way instead of throwing up that shield in front of those two. Then she realized that would be useless because they had already seen Andy, and there was no way that she was going to let her brother go through any of this alone. 

Her mother started speaking, and Lauren was pulled out of her thoughts, seeing Andy start to break at the slight accusation in their mother’s tone. Her tongue had felt heavy before, like that night at the party, but it didn’t right now. Now, she would not leave Andy to deal with this. No matter how this conversation went, Lauren was not going anywhere without her brother. 

She had always known that her mother was not well-versed like Lauren or her father, but she tried to put it in terms that she would understand. She recited the information that her father had told them all as a warning, that mutant abilities manifested in moments of stress or danger, trying to sound reasonable. Her mother took it as condescending, insinuating that Lauren is not an expert, that she didn't know and therefore should not speak, and Lauren’s floodgates broke.

Lauren knew all too well. And she told her as much.

Whatever feeling that Lauren thought would fill her as she finally told her secret, this was not it. There was no release of tension, no sudden rush of endorphins, and no loud crashes of thunder. There was just the oppressive silence of the kitchen, as Lauren focused on getting it across to her mother that she _does_ know. She _is_ an expert. She is a mutant.

She is a mutant, and it is no miracle. 

Vaguely, she registers that Andy is reacting his own way behind her, but she does not break eye contact with her mother. The adult in the room needs to understand, or they are done. Whatever is done next, is going to be decided by this moment. 

(She tries to bring up the first Incident to better explain, and her storytelling is less precise. She wonders about those years of secret-keeping, if they didn't teach her something about the importance of word choice.)

There was a plan brewing in the back of her mind when she saw heartbreak on her mother’s face. It involved running, grabbing Andy, some clothes, and heading out to God knows where. 

It was pushed to the back of her mind when her mother spoke again. Naivety colored her words, which were well-intentioned but irrational. In a world where she was seen as a deformed abnormality simply for existing, her mother cannot comprehend why Lauren would not tell her mutant-prosecuting parents. Hell, even when Lauren had toyed with the idea of telling her mother at the beginning of the manifestation, it was not out of logic, but of a desperate need to not be alone. 

That passed once she realized that it was up in the air whether or not her father would throw her in jail. She told her mother this, and the reaction was laughable. _Mutants who hurt people._

(She would always remember the way that boy had cried out when she broke those windows, the bright red jacket getting stained darker.)

Andy had to be treading the same line of thought. He had hurt people, had been unable to take his eyes off of the one victim he could see. Did he deserve to go to jail, to be mercilessly prosecuted and called a terrorist for something he couldn’t control? She wanted to scream at her mother, to remind her of every comment that she had ever made, every time that she had crossed the street when seeing a mutant with visible differences, every instant that led Lauren to put another note in a seemingly unending list of reasons not to speak to her parents after high school. More than that, though, was a drastic idea in the back of her mind that was growing more feasible by the second: that it was her and Andy against the world. 

Lauren jumped when the doorbell rang, the normalcy of the sound ringing in her ears and off the sides of her skull. It was followed by a series of hard raps on the door. 

Cops, it had to be.

As their mother went to answer the door, telling them to stay put, Lauren pulled Andy up and out of view. When they neared the fridge, she pulled Andy behind her, contemplating whether or not they should stay to listen in. Andy’s grip on her forearm was shaky, so Lauren breathed deeply and clasped her own hand over his. They would not run until they needed to.

When Lauren heard the door open, she could feel her heart stop. She filed away what stood out: Agent Jace Turner, Sentinel Services, and Amended Patriot Act. There was a lump in her throat that she could not swallow, but it was scratching like fiberglass despite its suffocating stillness. Andy began to shake once their names came up. The agent was acting friendly enough, but Lauren could guess what would happen at the first sign of resistance. 

Despite her mother’s heartfelt words before, she couldn’t help the shock that went through her as she protected them. Lauren dismissed her desperate plan completely. They were not leaving their mom. The situation was getting more and more complicated by the second. Lauren tried to remember all of her drills, every moment that she had accidentally used her powers, and finally focused on the feeling that she had in the gym. The adrenaline that flowed through her then had made her limbs move quicker, resulting in the quick reaction time that saved herself and others. Maybe...

Agent Turner said he already knew about their father’s job, that they needed to be taken to “secure the safety of the community” before they could get a lawyer. Another voice was more aggressive, and Andy tensed. Lauren was reminded of the classic good cop/bad cop routine. 

Things escalated when the bad cop forced his way in, and Lauren and Andy rushed to their mother’s aid, having heard the struggle. Suffice to say, they were not pleased to see their mom on the ground. Andy made their displeasure known, unintentionally using his powers. They were really something. Her brother stood proud as their home began to shake, his anger manifesting. All their lives, if Andy had wanted her to know what he was thinking or feeling, he wouldn't hold back. Before their dynamic shift, they had been each other’s sounding boards. Lauren could remember flinching at the anger that boiled in Andy at times. She could recall his own winces at what was buried in her too. 

The sight of them spooked the Agents, and Lauren couldn’t say that she hated the power shift. The small thrill was overrun by the blood rushing to her hands, and she desperately wanted to flex her fingers but she knew what they would be taken as. That somehow, in the situation where these men pushed her mother to the ground, they were the ones who were seen as the invaders, the aggressors. It was strange to feel both discontent and pride, but it was a strange time.

When the Agent spoke, Lauren saw the way that Andy was trying to wrestle for control, cocking his head in a strained attempt to keep himself in check. He was already doing better than Lauren did when she first began, using his power to amplify his message. The agents needed to leave. Now.

One of the agents pulled a gun and all hell broke loose. Andy couldn’t keep up his power and flee at the same time, so Lauren threw up a large shield, the kind that she only produced while practicing home alone with the windows shuttered. She shouted at Andy and their mom to run, and they made their way to the garage. 

Their mother took charge from there, locking the agents in the house and quickly climbing into the still-warm vehicle. Car doors were slammed shut as the engine came to life. The garage door was opening slowly, too slow, and before it was open all the way, a bullet broke through the back window. An _actual_ bullet flew at them, causing Lauren to scream for Andy to try to use his powers again, hoping that he would have better control than she did. He didn’t, which meant that the display back there was a fluke. Another bullet came flying, this one aiming for Lauren, who ducked just in time. Although she knew it would block the view, Lauren had no choice but to throw up a shield. 

Lauren remembered too late who had taught her to drive. It was not their mother. 

The car spun out, and Lauren tried to use her shields to push the agent’s cars out of the way, but there were too many. She was being tossed around the car too much, affecting her focus. 

The minivan crashed into the cars in front of it before they actually found some footing and drove away. Their mother took the back way that was known to be confusing, and Lauren saw Andy slump in the backseat, probably exhausted from tonight's events. She couldn’t blame him, as she remembered how hard she crashed after manifesting. 

And all she did was avoid a car crash, not…

There was so much now. Lauren turned her gaze outward again, scanning the street for cop cars and suspicious figures. 

**⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝**

She was entirely too awake for the time of night. The dash was blinking, indicating that it was now approaching two in the morning. It also said they were running out of gas, but they had been driving for a while, so it wasn’t surprising. Lauren had grabbed all of their phones and taken the batteries out. Then about a mile later, she tossed them out the window. Their mom was mostly silent, every once in a while trying to reassure them that they would stop as soon as it was safe. 

They had driven to the outskirts of town when their mom pulled into a gas station that looked rundown but had an empty lot. Lauren dug around for cash, thankful that she had taken out $200 from the ATM yesterday (that she had been planning to use for bake sale prep, but how was that even still in her head when _they were literally fugitives_ ). They had the money in the form of twenty-dollar bills. Lauren couldn’t help but tease Andy a little, making him look at her like she was crazy. He had always said that it was stupid to get smaller bills, preferring the look of the hundred dollar bills over the weight of the twenties, but she had argued that it was harder to break. 

She gave forty to her mom for gas and snacks, and they stayed slumped in the back seat. Andy mumbled something about how hiding their faces seemed pretty useless since there were bullet holes in the doors. The breeze was blowing in from the shot-out window. The silence was not tense or relaxed. There was a disconnection that they both felt, but it wasn’t from each other. There was static all around them that isolated the siblings. 

Lauren had counted five glances towards her hands. _Was Andy... scared of her?_

She couldn’t breathe, the thought scaring her more than when bullets were coming at her. 

She spoke, breaking the silence, asking him point-blank.

“Andy, you’re not-I mean. You’re not freaked out, are you?” Her tentative tone seemed to draw his full attention. Her brother was slumped in the backseat, the fluorescent lights illuminating the top of his head and making his eyes shine. He didn’t look small. 

“Freaked-Lauren, of course, I’m freaked out!” She didn’t think she was breathing. He was still talking, but she wasn’t hearing it. It was like the bubble they were in popped so suddenly, letting in the sounds of cars rushing by the station, the tinkling of the bell as the door to the store was opened. The sounds were flooding her senses, and it took her a minute to process that time was passing. That Andy was still speaking.

“-and then bam! Suddenly, we’re like these super-powered siblings, except I don’t know how to control anything, and you’ve got these cool shield things and meanwhile I could hurt-” 

Lauren blinked rapidly, wondering if she was hearing right. She stopped him by grabbing his hand. She was slightly disappointed when there was not another bubble created, not a glow illuminating their faces on this night, but the look on her brother's face made her pause in what she was going to say.

Was he anticipating something? Did he think something would happen if they held hands? Something like blinding light and brilliant warmth? Was she making connections that weren’t there to try to grasp that feeling of security that she had never managed to replicate on her own?

Lauren was going insane.

She shook off whatever she felt(read: disappointment) to set something straight. 

“I’ve had mine for three years. You’ve had yours for two hours. We’re going to figure all of this out, and I’m going to tea-”

Lauren had risen higher, sitting up a little to make sure that she was heard clearly. She saw her mom on the payphone outside and the words turned into ash. She narrowed her eyes, wondering who she could be talking to.

“Dad.”

Andy speaking startled her a little, but the statement rocked her to her core. He must have followed her line of sight when she cut herself off, seeing their mother on the phone. The way Andy said it put everything into perspective once again. 

They were fugitives from the law, the news stations were calling them terrorists, and their dad was a state prosecutor. Lauren’s grip on her brother’s hand tightened ever so slightly as her thoughts raced. 

Their mother had taken the news better than Lauren had ever thought possible, but her father? The one who vowed to protect them all from the mutants that hurt people. Like Andy. Like Lauren. What would his reaction be? Horror scenarios that had been lounging in her head for three years started playing in her movie theatre of a mind, and she looked at Andy in worry.

If the fear in his eyes was anything to go by, he was watching the same movie she was for the very first time. 

It was both validation and despair that filled her, she’s pretty sure. Her mother could talk all she wanted, but she could never understand moments like these. They were criminals facing federal charges, yet they shook more at the thought of their father’s response to the new shades of gray that had been forced on his black-and-white world. 

How were they going to justify this? (Why did they have to?)

As their mother made her way back to the van, Lauren reached forward to unlock the car doors. They had quite the conversation ahead of them and judging by the grim look on their mom’s face, it wasn’t going to be pretty.

**⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝**

Lauren and Andy hadn’t been awake when their dad had met up with them. They had fallen asleep not thirty minutes after they left the gas station. Lauren supposed that it was the adrenaline finally fading in favor of the fact that they would usually be asleep in their beds. 

They would never sleep in those beds again.

They had been woken up by their mother, whose gentle shaking was met with wide eyes and harsh exhalations. There was no grogginess, only alert, wild-looking teenagers. They were told what had happened while they had been asleep.

Their dad had suggested that they drive in his car since there was bound to be some kind of flag out for the bullet-ridden minivan they had escaped in. They had been stopped by a field for a couple of hours though, the adults letting their children sleep until sunrise. _These weren’t the actions of a state prosecutor_ , Lauren thought hysterically, unwilling to let hope rise within her.

They were ushered to their father’s car, and once they were seated, Lauren couldn’t help but run her hands over the seat in exploration. She had been in this car before, but that was years ago. This car went with their father to work, meaning that they rarely saw it. Andy was sitting upright, spine ramrod straight. She supposed that this was in an attempt to not set off their father. Lauren didn’t bother to do the same. She knew that he had already made up his mind about what he was going to do. She knew that she had to stay loose. 

She would fight their way out if she had to.

**⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝**

The restaurant they settled in was pretty quiet, but that was to be expected since it was nearing just five in the morning. Lauren and Andy had slid into the booth on instinct, sitting across from each other, leaving their parents to sit by the aisle. Lauren had never realized before how much this boxed them in. She leaned back against the seat, putting as much distance that she could between herself and the table. She needed there to be a way for her to get up quickly. 

She was sure that her acting was failing her, that her trepidation was plain to see on her face. She wondered if this was a good thing or a bad thing. After all, she didn’t need to lie anymore, so there was no need to keep up the charade. 

The simple realization came to her so fleetingly, that she had to work to fish it out of the ocean of thought inside her. She didn’t have to pretend anymore. Her entire family knew about her abilities, and she was effectively cut off from anyone who knew her as the persona that she projected. There were no more lies, no more choir, no more college prep, no more committees, no more recipes, no more parking spaces, no more-

No more Jack. 

Lauren’s small spark of glee died, snuffed out by the overwhelming wave of loss. If there was anything she would miss, it was Jack. Her Jack, the nicest boy on the planet who had done nothing but cherish their relationship. Her Jack who hadn’t wanted to leave her in that gym. Her Jack who got swept up in the crowd rushing out. Her Jack with the blinding smile-

Her amazing boyfriend, Jack, whom she could never see again.

Lauren breathed. She kept breathing.

At some point, her shoulders had lost their tension, but she couldn't bring herself to stand on the edge again. She was tired of staring into that particular abyss. She knew that she would have to look again, for Andy’s sake, but for now, she let her eyes flicker closed and shallow breaths even out, relaxing while she could.

The waiter came by, but their father waved them off. It was weird, being in his presence while not speaking to him, but he hadn’t said a word to them all morning. It was a stark contrast from the usual loud voice he used around them as if he was a character in a tv show.

Or like he was compensating for all the long hours: whichever fit best. 

He turned towards them, angling his body so that only their family could hear. 

“The important thing is that everyone’s alright.” The words allowed for a small beacon of hope to glimmer in Lauren’s chest as she made quick eye contact with Andy. She could tell he was relieved too as he began relaxing his posture and resting his elbows on the table. He let his head fall on top of them. He looked so exhausted, and Lauren missed when he could never be that; years ago, he had only been hyperactive and small. Lauren felt the knot in her chest squeeze into itself harder at the sight. 

Their dad began to question Andy about what had happened, and Andy’s voice shook like a leaf. It was compounded by exhaustion, fear, and sheer misuse. He had only been up for about an hour. Lauren saw the way that he fidgeted, saw the way that he was trying so hard to not completely relive the moment. She was familiar with the denial. She was familiar with the fragility. 

She hated herself for ever thinking that any of this was freeing. She was so selfish, being grateful that Andy could understand her when his entire world was collapsing. She had to see if she could stop some of the crumbling.

Her defense of Andy was absolute, and there was no room for argument in her tone. They had come at him, end of story. Andy raised his head, keeping his eyes down and his arms crossed on the table. Their father accepted the fact and moved to the next question, but their mom cut him off, scolding their dad for his lack of tact in the situation. 

He responded that he was trying to understand. Honestly, that statement made Lauren feel better about his reaction than about her mother’s. At least there was no pretense about just how out of their depth their parents were. 

Their dad was trying to find some legal defense for them, but their mom shut it down fast. It almost seemed too fast, but that was the reality of everything, now. There didn’t seem to be a way out of this. Her mom told her father that Sentinel Services had come to the house, and he tried to correct her, but there was no denial of fact. They had come for them, saying they needed to protect the community above all else. 

Lauren had to use two hands to count the number of times that she had felt the ground pulled out from under her. The first was when she had face-planted into concrete on her sixth birthday. The second was when she was thirteen on 7/15. The third came when she was fourteen, the first time that her dad shooed her away for a work-call. The fourth came not a month later when they didn’t die in that car. The fifth was driving home from that party. The sixth was when she was standing there staring at her little brother reshaping everything around him with the force of his screams. The seventh was when she told her mom. The eighth was when she realized her dad knew. The ninth was at this very moment. 

Four of them happened in the same 12 hours, but that’s just how it was now. Lauren was almost to ten fingers, and she didn't know what that said about her life. She did, however, know that she was terrified of her father’s fear. 

And his voice was shaking now.

It was like their dad didn’t even realize that he was still talking aloud. He was saying things so bluntly, in a tone that Lauren had never heard before. She had thought that she prepared for the scope of the fallout, thought that she was ready for whatever was going to come their way because they handled the situation at the house.

But their dad was saying that that wasn’t a full team. That this was way beyond the most important contact of her father’s. That they needed to leave now. When he said that, he glanced toward Lauren, and for a moment, she doubted. Did he want Andy and Lauren to come with them? 

She tensed her shoulders slightly, sure that her face showed just how helpless she felt. She couldn’t even think of acting now.

But when he continued, saying that wherever they go would need to have looser mutant laws, and both of their parents glanced their way with nothing but concern in their eyes, Lauren began to break. 

He kept talking, going on about Mexico, saying that it didn’t matter if they had nothing; they would find a way. He would find a way to keep them together, to make it all okay.

Because nothing was more important to him than his family. Mutant or not.

Lauren let the tears stream down her face, crowding closer to her father. When she hugged his arm and laid her head on him, he leaned down and kissed her on the top of her hair. They hadn’t hugged like this in years. She wasn’t sure that she had a conversation as long as this one without a dining table between them. 

The entire world was collapsing, but Lauren was in her father's arms.

(She didn’t dare think of the last time her father told her that everything was going to be okay, driving home from that damned party.)

She looked up at Andy to see him hugging their mom, and Lauren wished that she could stop time right there. But even if she had that power, she wasn’t that cruel.

Their dad told them that Sentinel Services’ involvement meant that there was going to be no trial. That there was no time. If they were caught, Andy and Lauren would ‘disappear.’ Lauren couldn’t help the whimper that escaped her when her dad laid out the severity of their situation. He sounded so sure that if they didn’t leave, they would be taken. She felt her chin tremble as she held back a wave of what she was sure would be some pretty ugly sobbing. They couldn’t draw more attention to themselves, and a crying teenage girl was not low profile. 

People remembered tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it begins! Sort of...


	4. Ch. 3: Break Out From Society

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is where things start to change.

The waitress eventually came to their table again, saying that they needed to order or leave. They ordered drinks to stay as long as they could, basking in the AC and empty tables. Unfortunately, people started coming in. The waitress even turned the TV on, showing the morning news. At the first sign of coverage on the gym Incident, they knew that it was time to leave. 

They grabbed food to go, wanting to get out of there as soon as possible. They got the cheapest meal and bolted. They drove back into town, stopping at the most run-down motel that Lauren had ever seen. It didn’t even look like it should be open. Their dad went in to get a room and came out looking disgruntled five minutes later. 

The “NO” in “NO VACANCIES” was out, meaning that the sign was wrong. Lauren wasn’t too broken up about it.

They drove until they hit the Caravan Motel. It was a dusty looking place. There was a tall rock wall that surrounded the building with another railing on top of it and a gated area that looked like it was trying hard to be better than it was, but the chairs were ready to fall over from rust. It was still better than the other one.

Their father came out with the room key, and that was that. They crept out of the car at first, shielding their eyes from the harsh sunlight that the tinted windows had shielded them from. Lauren straightened eventually, nudging Andy to do the same. They needed to act like a normal family, so drawing attention to themselves with dramatics was counterproductive.

When they got to the right room, Lauren was eager to rush inside. Being out and about had felt too careless. Like they were exposed. Their mother must have had the same line of thought, as she ushered them all inside once the door was open.

Honestly, the room could’ve been better, but Lauren was settling into a more accepting mindset. It did wonders for ignoring all the thoughts of how many strangers had been in there, the stains on the walls, and the fact that there was a sort of stale smell that should have gone away if it had been cleaned after the last occupant’s stay.

...It could have been worse.

Lauren all but collapsed on the bed while everyone claimed a spot in the room. As soon as her head hit the pillow, her heartbeat became more pronounced, like her body sinking into the bedding focused all her attention on the steady thrum as it slowed. She hadn’t even realized that it was going that fast. Turning her head she caught sight of their mom. She was stationed at the windows, peeking out the side of the blinds that had already been closed while shifting the curtains slightly. Lauren personally thought that made them look suspicious, but she didn’t say anything. She turned her head again, seeing that their dad had gone straight to the bathroom, clicking on the lights, probably making sure everything was working. Her eyes kept moving until they landed on Andy, who was clutching the take out bag and making his way towards the other bed. 

He spoke for the first time since laying everything out for their dad at the diner, setting the food on the top of the bedspread.

“...so who got what?” The sentence was a meek attempt at normalcy. They had all gotten the same thing, but Lauren couldn’t bring herself to summon even a fraction of his energy. It was that stall that caused it really, the almost instinctual reset. 

She had almost put on the act again, and she had to think to stop herself. Her mom blew out an exasperated breath, a small smile breaking free even as their dad just pressed his lips together in a show of displeasure. Luckily, he was behind Andy, so he didn’t catch it, only seeing their mom’s reaction. Andy’s eyes went to her, sprawled out on the bed, waiting for her reaction, and that was fair. This was Andy’s first attempt at normalcy, so Lauren pulled her scattered thoughts aside. She went along with it, laughing lightly as she got up to crowd around the bag. She pulled out the food, noting that despite its price, it all looked decent. 

She chanced a look at Andy as she started to divvy up the food, and wasn’t the least bit surprised to find him doing the same thing. They had an unspoken conversation, the two of them, each realizing that this was not the place for the real talk that they needed to have. Andy turned to hand their mother a burger, while Lauren passed her dad some fries.

The opportunity came easily. Their dad had gone to meet someone in the city about getting them to Mexico, something about using some contacts in the firm (and didn’t that make her nervous). Their mother had claimed the bathroom, taking a shower. That would give them at least fifteen or even twenty minutes. Lauren waited until she heard the water running to gesture towards the door. Andy followed her out.

Absently, Lauren had noticed some things on her way outside. The first of which being that the number on their door was coming off. She almost reached out to smooth the number down but ultimately decided against it since she doubted they would be here long enough for it to bother her too much. They were leaving the country soon, after all.

Another thing was that while she had felt exposed earlier with the entire family outside, she felt much safer when it was just Andy and her. It was such a glaring difference, but she guessed it was logical. At the end of the day, they were the two with abilities, and Lauren was sure that if push came to shove, they could get out of a bad situation...but when more people were involved, there was a greater chance of them getting hurt. It was logical.

(There was a _glow_ , and there was _no time_ , and the ground was _gone _, and she was _floating_.)__

____

__

____

Andy closed the door behind her, and the sound jolted her from her thoughts. He didn’t seem to notice her lack of focus, and for that Lauren was grateful. Now was not the time to be spacing out on him. It was time for an icebreaker. 

“I know this, like, sucks…”

She spoke truthfully, explaining the small amount of relief that came with finally being able to tell their parents, to talk about all of this. She tried not to gush about how surreal it felt to say it all out loud, to have her brother _get it_. Andy said he had ruined their lives, but Lauren still had trouble squashing her gratefulness. Strangely, the next words came easy to Lauren, but then, she supposed they were the words that she wished her dad had said to her all those years ago. 

And it _wasn’t_ his fault, not really. If anything, Lauren thought that their whole world was to blame. Their city didn’t know how to handle mutants, how to overcome the fear of something different to create a better functioning society. It was a disgrace, honestly. She was fighting feelings of disgust that her father was involved in it. She knew that his suspects didn’t always get fair trials; how can they when the odds are stacked against them? She now knew that her father had some idea about the circumstances, considering his immediate reaction in this situation, but just didn’t think it was a problem.

Lauren thought that maybe her parents were starting to realize how unfair everything around them was, now that it was their children. Better late than never, she guessed (and no, there was no bitterness there, _she loved her parents_ ).

When it was just Lauren affected, she was fine staying under the system, fine hiding for the rest of her life. Now though, it was her family that was under pressure. There was no way they were staying under this country’s version of law and order. 

And not a single part of that was on Andy. She was very clear on that. He just had the unfortunate position of lighting the fire. It was the world’s fault that they were placed in the middle of a forest, just waiting to be burned. How can she blame him when she, herself, was a spark?

He brought up the Incident in the car when she had told him to use his powers out of reflex. She didn’t know why it was instinct to rely on him like that. He was new at this, coming into his powers just hours before. How could she have put so much pressure on him? Why did she wait so long to put up a shield? She could have gotten them killed with her hesitation.

Lauren dismissed those thoughts. It was just panic telling her to throw everything they had instead of trying to defend. She’d always reacted with fight instead of flight, not that she had a way to fight.

She told him in no uncertain terms that this was going to take time; that at first, it was so wholly unintentional that you could not anticipate when it was going to happen, let alone control the brunt of it. 

(Lauren still remembers all the messes she had to clean before she had any semblance of control, the mad scramble when she would hear the front door opening from her bedroom.)

“What does it feel like, when you…?”

Lauren was struck with a flash of appreciation. This was someone who knew intimately that feelings were involved, that it wasn’t just something rubber-stamped for everyone. She tried to put it into words, thinking back on the times when they were little and would pretend to control the wind. “We’re air-bending,” they had said, but the metaphor didn’t work completely. She clarified that it was more like pushing the air together, pushing anything together really, though the other elements were harder to manipulate. She dismissed thoughts of failed attempts to pull water together, only succeeding in dousing herself. 

(There was that time when she had pushed two water drops into one as they raced down her window sometime last spring, but even that small feat made her sweat.)

When she asked him the same question, he latched onto her word choice, saying it was like pushing everything away. Lauren could understand, thinking back to the beginning, to the party. She tried to stay off the heavier topic in her mind, not wanting to tell her little brother about the time some random guy had felt her up. She swept away the thought.

“-I just wanted to push everything away.” Andy was getting stuck in his head too. That was not a fun place to be.

“Well, I’d say you did a pretty good job of that.”

It had been a joke, an attempt to lighten her darkening mood. She realized that she may have to explain the comment more, considering the quick look he threw her way. Adding even more levity to her tone, she gave him an ‘A-plus,’ and he made a joke right back. They laughed freely for the first time since they sat at the dinner table… god, that was just yesterday. She took advantage of the small rapport.

She racked her brain for something to reassure him further, settling on memories of a summer of 2011, when she first pushed Andy into the water. Little Lauren didn’t even think about the fact that he couldn’t swim. After quickly pulling him up, she taught him how to paddle and kick, splashing him when he would lose interest. It was a fun day, and by the end, Andy was swimming like a pro. Their mom had been so proud of them both, and she had even taken them out to get ice cream after leaving the pool. It was one of her crowning achievements as a sister. It's not like she had a lot of those these days. 

She resolved that she would help Andy, getting his attention and reminding him of her experience as his teacher. She met his eyes and tried to convey a single message:

“I can teach you this.”

They would get through this together.

Andy was leading the way, stopping at the vending machine by the parking lot. They didn’t bring any money, so Lauren figured this was a good time as any to start training Andy. They were already criminals, so it's not like a couple of bags of chips was going to hurt their reputation.

The thought was slightly sobering, but Lauren tried not to let it phase her. She would later realize that she should not be teaching anyone about control and focus when she was distracted.

“Watch.”

She made sure to stand a distance away from the vending machine, so Andy had a good view of the snacks. She told him to watch as she cupped her hand, a movement that had come naturally the first time she had tried to actively use her powers. She made a small shield right behind the coil holding the microwave popcorn in the middle of the machine, nudging it aside to make the bag fall. She could hear Andy’s exclamations of amazement, and she was left feeling a bit like a badass. 

She tried to explain it as best she could. She told him to try, to latch on the feeling that he had when he was first using his powers, but to take it slow. He rolled his shoulders and adjusted his stance a little. Lauren saw the change as he focused, his form hunching slightly and fists forming at his sides. The vending machine began to shake, the action getting more and more intense as he went on further. Lauren was so proud of him, especially when the rumbling made the bag fall. 

But it didn’t stop. 

Lauren realized her error only as the rumbling began to build in more places, spreading from one point like wildfire. She tried to grab his attention away. She had been so stupid to tell him to remember that night without any other instruction. It was like he was stuck in the memories, and Lauren couldn’t blame him. She wanted to fix the mistake, but it was of no use. The shaking was moving the entire machine off the ground at times. When she saw the small spark, she just reacted.

She grabbed him by his forearms, turning them both away from the machine as it exploded, putting herself between it and Andy. She could feel a sting at her back, and it was familiar. She realized that it was the same feeling she had when sparks came a little too near to her face at the dance. The real problem was stinging in her wrist. Once the pain registered in her head, it was like a switch had been flipped, and a gasp of pain escaped her as she stood to full height. Andy’s hand vaguely came up to her arm, the touch feather-light and hesitant. She knew that they were going to draw attention soon enough. Lauren interrupted his apologies.

“It’s okay. We’ve got to go.” He didn’t move, staring at the damage, so she had to push him along a bit. “We’ve got to go. Go!”

She ran ahead, scoping out the way to the door. Thankfully, there were no people that came out due to noise. Despite the pain in her wrist, she couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her when she saw Andy catch up to her with a candy bar in hand. 

Her brother was such a dork. 

****

⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝⧝

Lauren had been up for a while now. 

She was used to small amounts of sleep, as she had kept herself too busy to ever get more than six hours a night. This was not a six-hours-of-sleep kind of experience, so she was not at all surprised when she opened her eyes to a darkened room. The sun hadn’t even come up yet. 

By now, she would be getting up now and prepping for the day. It was a Saturday, so she would be driving to school at around seven to meet with the rest of the committee for last-minute planning. They may have even gone out to eat after, and Lauren would’ve called Jack to join them. 

_Oh, Jack._

If Lauren had known that night was the last time she would ever see Jack again, there was honestly no telling what she would do. Even when she was at a low point, struggling so hard with the secret that lay in her DNA, he had been there. He didn’t know, of course, and that was for the best, but he... he made her feel like she could just press pause. So much had changed since she asked him to pick out her outfit for a stupid dance. She felt wetness gathering in her eyes and she hastily wiped it away. Red eyes would draw attention to her, especially since she always got extra puffy when she cried. There was no doubt in her mind that if she started, she would not be able to stop. She didn’t think that even the volume of her dad’s snoring would cover it, but _wow_ , it was like he was trying. Lauren’s train of thought deviated at the loudness of it, shocking her. She knew that she and Andy had fallen asleep before their dad, but it was slightly worrying that they had _slept through_ that. They were literally on the run, and they couldn’t wake up when there was the equivalent of a freight car running through their room. 

Lauren sighed and got up, making her way to the bathroom without bothering to be quiet. They could sleep through anything. 

After, she made her way back to the bed, eternally grateful that the comforter was so large. Andy hadn’t even moved, and there was still a ton of slack. Lauren was so shaken up about the day’s events, she had forgotten about her brother’s tendency to kick in his sleep, and by the time she had realized this, the sleeping arrangements had already been set. She decided against bringing it up though, not wanting to embarrass Andy anymore. 

Ever since the vending machine incident yesterday, any progress that had been made in his demeanor had seriously regressed. He was quiet again, only speaking when spoken to, and she hated it. She didn’t even show her mom the cut, only washing it and wrapping it in toilet paper and a rubber band. Lauren didn’t want to think about her parent’s reaction to them using their powers like that (using their powers at all), especially when it ended in a small injury. Lauren spent the rest of the day painstakingly convincing Andy that she was fine, that she was not mad, and that she didn’t blame him for any of this. She hadn’t wanted to give the wrong idea about refusing to share a bed with him, so she didn’t outright refuse. 

But there was no way that she was not scooting as far away as possible from the soccer star over there.

She had only been back on the bed for a couple of minutes when she heard the other one creak. From the ceasing of snoring, she could only assume it was her father. She didn’t move, still feigning sleep. It turned out to be the right move because she could vaguely hear her mother stirring too. It was perplexing that their mom had only woken up when the snoring had stopped, but Lauren tried not to dwell on details like that. 

“Morning.” Her mother greeted him like it was a normal day, but her father cut through the attempt, asking if she had gotten any sleep.

They just started talking, and Lauren felt like she was intruding on something. It had been a while since they had all been together this much, and this was honestly a little weird. She shut her eyes to try to fall into the blissful ignorance that Andy was consumed by (Lauren couldn’t believe that he was still asleep. This is the boy who claimed that he could survive the zombie apocalypse). 

“But I think you might be a mutant too, with some sort of snoring ability.”

She opened her eyes, wanting to hear this. She reasoned that if they were joking about it, then they had to have been okay with it. That was a good sign, right?

(She didn’t think about the way that she and Andy had joked about having powers before 7/15, not understanding what the consequences of the status were.)

Because of course, her parents got it. They were here, weren’t they?

Their mom asked about the plan for later, talking about some meeting that their dad had set up. Lauren herself didn’t know about that before now, but that was probably an oversight. They were probably going to tell Andy and her when they woke up. Plus, it sounded like her dad wasn’t completely sure that this plan was going to work, so maybe they just didn’t want to get their hopes up. He said that they didn’t have many options, and something coiled in Lauren’s chest. It's not like that was a lie.

Lauren was just listening to her mother reassure their dad, and when they got onto his job, Lauren couldn’t have stopped listening if she wanted to.

“Did you know it was like this? For the mutants?” Her mother was gentle, like the question could hurt him. It didn’t seem to, not like his answer cut through Lauren.

“I knew it wasn’t easy.”

He was defending the system. He said that ‘mutants’ were fighting each other and that the ‘people’ had wanted something done. It was like the warmth that had spread throughout this whole thing, the blooming bridges in her heart for her father were shrinking from the new, colder sensation inside her. It was familiar by now. 

The fact that her father still thought like that, the fact that he could say and feel that his work was justified after everything they had gone through, meant that things would never be the same. Their mom had been speaking in defense of mutants, but it sounded small compared to the pounding that had started in her ears when their dad spoke. She kept talking, changing the subject, but she cut herself off. 

Lauren heard him whispering about some kind of drone, saying that they needed to go now. Lauren was shocked still, her body falling back on old tricks that she heard in movies (if you don't move, the tyrannosaurus can't see you. Just don’t move), but her dad said that they couldn’t be seen here. That’s not what they had to worry about. 

It was the car.

Their mother called for them, but Lauren was already up, throwing the blankets to the side, and onto Andy, waking him up. He was confused, sitting up slightly annoyed at the abrupt wake-up call. It was like he forgot at first, about to yell at Lauren for throwing the covers, but it didn’t last long. They started gathering their things and putting on their shoes. It was times like these that Lauren was glad that she had opted for comfortable boots for the dance.

Andy was asking questions as they ran out, and their mom was adding on. They were right. They couldn’t just run away on foot. They needed something that the drone wouldn’t recognize.

Lauren had been in this motel room longer than she had ever been in that car, and they needed to abandon it.

She didn’t dwell on the feelings that rose at the thought, instead searching for a way out and spotting a running truck. The garbage man would just have to get a new one. She could hear her father yelling after her, but she didn’t pay it any mind.

He set up meetings and used his contacts. This was what she could do. 

It was the biggest shield that she had ever created, only slightly bigger than the one that she had put up when Sentinel Services had come to the house. Lauren was proud, and even the guy she was stopping had been awed. Something smug whispered that of course, he recognized _power_ when he saw it, anyone would. She pushed those thoughts away, not ready to dwell on them now. She turned towards the car, grateful that her mother and brother had gotten with the program and had already gotten in. She yelled for her father to get in, but he was staring at her shield, looking dazed. 

She realized that hearing that your kid is a mutant and seeing it in action were two entirely different things, but they did not have time for it right now. 

Thankfully, he snapped out of it pretty fast, driving out of the parking lot and onto the freeway. Lauren spoke up when they couldn't see the drones anymore, telling them that they needed to switch cars again. Andy had looked her way as she said it, and she could tell he was impressed with her actions back there and her forethought now. She straightened under the unspoken praise, but when she turned her head forward she saw her dad sneaking glances at her in the rearview mirror. He looked troubled, and Lauren wasn’t entirely sure that she wasn’t the cause of it. She turned her head to see if she could see her mother in the passenger’s side door mirror, but she was cupping her face in her hands. 

Lauren looked away quickly, settling her gaze down.

Fragments of the overheard conversation washed over her ears, dousing the momentary adrenaline that had ruled her. It was replaced by a wave of numb anger. 

Who was _he_ to look at her like that?

The thought flew in the forefront of her mind almost as quickly as she swatted it away. That was so not what she needed right now. She turned her head back to Andy, seeing that his expression had dimmed at the stilled silence that had overtaken the car. It was like they were driving to the diner again, waiting to see if their father would accept them, or at least, that was probably what it was like for Andy. Lauren knew better.

Even if her father knew and ran with them, he would never get it. He still thought the customary treatment of mutants was okay, that the _people_ had been right to do this because they were _scared_. Were his kids even people to him anymore? Were they just mutated burdens? Was his view that skewed? Hell, Lauren wasn’t even sure what he would do if it was him who was in that position, if _he_ was the one with the powers-

Something poked her arm. 

She sharply turned her head, only to see Andy quickly put his hands up slightly in surrender. Her glare wavered only slightly, but it was enough to signal peace. He was taking off his seatbelt, nodding his head towards the door. 

How did she not only miss their second stolen car pulling into a parking complex but also actually stopping? 

_Because you’re a spacey idiot who needs to pay attention_ , a voice hissed at her, mind clearing. 

She resolutely ignored it, and stepped out, hearing her footfalls echo in the complex. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay right after I posted a schedule and everything. Basically, life happened, and if I don't stick to the schedule to a tee, I will try to post when I can. Luckily, I was able to get some writing done and finish this chapter this week, so yay! 
> 
> Sorry again!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!


End file.
